Thoughts & Updates

ON LIFE & BEAUTY

SCROLL DOWN

Thoughts & Updates

ON LIFE & BEAUTY

Mini Sephora Haul

This post should really be titled "An Exercise in Self-Restraint" because it still baffles me how I managed to step foot in a Sephora for the first time in YEARS and only come out with five items. Five items! That means I managed to bypass...

One Girl's Foundation

"I mentioned in my last post that I have a foundation problem. I can't stop buying them. Honestly, what you see here is the last of what is left over from a MUCH larger stash. But, seriously... how much flesh coloured liquid does a girl need? I can only wear one at a time. Maybe two at a push..."

The Empties Post #3

"Cut to me awkwardly fumbling over my words as I try to come up with a feasible explanation for my my boyfriends 20-year-old, boy-racer brother as to why it is essential that a bag of recycling reaches Bournemouth unharmed. Right, no more back story I'm jumping right into everything or we might never see the light of day again..."

Sunday Journal 6.0

"The bulk of the recipes I pinched come from her handwritten selection, so I assume that they have been passed down through quite a few generations. One of my favourite things about this collection of recipes was that there are a couple of dishes that feature war-time and post-war versions, and the ingredients differ accordingly."

7 Reasons NOT To Get Acrylic Nails

"At the time you think you are the t*** and then 4 years down the line you look back at that photograph of you with hideous crimped hair and a boob tube and think 'dear god, why?!'. I have this problem with fake nails... as if any girl needs more adding to that list"

Sunday Journal 5.0

"I feel like the recent redesign is the kitchen table of Ginger N' Roses. I am loving the new space and feel refreshed and excited to start producing lots of exciting new content. First though, I thought I'd give you all a little tour round the new digs..."

the latest articles

Take a peek into the latest posts up on the blog. Full to the brim with one girl's thoughts and updates on life and beauty. Ginger N' Roses is my creative outlet and a make-shift therapy for my self-diagnosed beauty sickness. With everything from perfume to postcards, shopping sprees to dinner parties, welcome to the journal of a semi-coherent post-graduate in her early 20s.

Behind the Blog

A little bit about me...

Behind the Blog

A little bit about me...

To all of you who have managed to stumble upon this page, welcome to my little blog! My name is Beth, I am 21 years old and I live in Dorset. I suppose this is the part where I tell you that I love all things beauty related… but chances are you’ve figured that out already. As it happens, I spend an awful lot of time doing things that don’t end up on here, so I thought I’d tell you a little bit more about myself… give you a better picture so to speak.

I’m half American and half English- so my accent is beyond confused. My mother lives on the east coast but we are originally from Minnesota. I’ve never lived there for more than a year, so most of my memories are from summer holidays (read: getting

eaten alive by mosquitoes and eating my weight in sweet corn) and Christmases (read: trying to cram as many jumpers in a suitcase as possible to keep me alive in the frozen tundra). My dad lives in the Middle East but his family is from West Wales… which, if you were wondering, takes just as long to get to on the train as Minnesota does by plane. My grandparents live on a farm so most of my memories entail running around old barns and dressing as a mummy to brave the fields of stinging nettles.

When I was 6 my mum joined the Foreign Service, so I’ve been on the move pretty much my whole life. I’ve been lucky enough to live some weird and

wonderful places- each with such vibrant and varying cultures. As a little girl my mother and father and I ended up traveling the world. My earliest memories are from when we lived in Tanzania- unfortunately at 3 years old the things that stick with you are miniature bananas and where you left your favourite toys. According to the photos I also went on safari, spent a lot of time at the beach and insisted on frowning any time a camera was pointed at me. I suppose it means that growing up I’ve learnt quite a few things your average kid doesn’t learn.

MEXICO: Taught me Spanish. It taught me that tacos should be small… and never hard. It taught me that cooking should be done with your hands and tasted frequently. It taught me how to put far to much gel in my hair and that traditional dress does not cater to blonds. It taught me that you can eat every part of the pig and cactus is delicious. It taught me that life should be celebrated and enjoyed, it should never be restricted. There should be music and laughter, food and drink, and a continuous celebration of the people you love both living and passed.

EL SALVADOR: Taught me that Christmas on the beach will never feel quite right. That Mexican Spanish is laughed at everywhere else in the world. It taught me that living under a volcano isn't always as dangerous as it sounds and that sugar plantations let children climb over mountains of your sugar before bagging it up. It taught me that it’s fine to join an all boys soccer team and that jacuzzis aren’t always warm. It taught me that it’s OK to be angry but that surrounding yourself by friends is the best therapy.

WASHINGTON DC: Taught me that wearing a sari to school will not make you any friends. It taught me that if you put your mind to it, you can read a book a day for a very long time. It taught me that you can teach yourself pretty much anything… even how to cook a full 6 course Japanese meal. It taught me that calling your crush and hanging up isn’t the best idea and that first kisses can be gross and uncomfortable. It taught me that sometimes the people you look up to will let you down and that it's OK to be the better person and not always get the last word.

BELGIUM: Taught me that not all fries are created equal…or beer, or chocolate, or waffles. It taught me that customer service is not a universal phenomenon. It taught me how to procrastinate efficiently. It taught me that if you grew up speaking Spanish, your French accent will always be wrong. It taught me taking a risk can be the best thing that happened to you. It taught me that first kisses get better and sometimes, even though you don’t want to admit it, your parents are right.

SUSSEX: After that I made my first big decision- for the first time in my life I chose where I wanted to live. I applied to university, upended and moved to Brighton. The things I learnt there could fill a book- but I got my degree, made the most amazing friends, got my first real job and finally stayed somewhere long enough for it to feel like home.

DORSET: Now life has taken me further west. I live in a little house by the seaside and fill my room with fresh flowers and white bedding. I work full time, and I am just enjoying life as a post-graduate. I have painted my first wall and bought an overpriced gold fan (priorities). Wednesdays are spent watching GBBO and Saturdays, Strictly. In between, I’ll get up and snap a few photos to keep my little blog going. But that’s me, and if you got this far that’s more than you probably ever wanted to know!

Blog Shelf

Blog Shelf

Grace manages to exude elegance in everything that she does- from her style to her photography to her written word. Her blog is an exquisitely crafted mecca for any beauty lover, full to the brim with answers to all your skincare and makeup queries. Her style is polished, effortless and informative. She is intelligent, opinionated, honest, friendly, approachable and generous. From the moment I stumbled upon her blog I have spent hours sifting through her posts, discovering, learning, and wishing that I could pick her brains one on one.

She may not have posted since April, but Camey's blog is still one of my absolute favourites. Product-wise she shares my taste pretty much down to the letter. Anyone who starts off their intro professing their love for red-orange lipstick is a must-read in my books. As talented as she is charming, this San Fransisco Beauty is guaranteed to bring some happiness to your reading list.

WengYee brings intelligence and thoughtfulness to the beauty blogging community. She covers far beyond the 'hyped' products and always offers a refreshingly insightful perspective. With a list of previous homes to rival mine, this girl is one of my favourites to see pop up!

From Roses is a beautiful website run by the even more beautiful and incredibly talented Rebecca. Rebecca is based in Nottingham and covers everything from beauty to style to fitness. Her blog is sure to give you rose gold and cactus envy, and her instagram will have you wishing you had your very own Bella for afternoon cuddles.

Divya is the friend who will completely enable your next Chanel splurge and in the next breath remind you not to go overboard. That's exactly the kind of grounding I think we all need in the blogosphere. She is unbelievably sweet, incredibly supportive and has become one of my all-time favourite bloggers.

There is an unbelievable amount of excitement when you stumble across a fellow third culture kid- in person or online! And serious kudos to the girl that juggles several blogs, spanish and russian. Content-wise she covers travel, fitness, beauty... the pursuit of general sanity- everything you want to see in a fantastic blog!

I can't remember the last time I stumbled across a youtube channel and binge watched EVERY. SINGLE. VIDEO. Covering travel, beauty, style... water consumption, Procrastinating Pretty has a wealth of fantastic material to get lost in. Have a little click, explore, and fall in love yourself.

Natalie is so, so sweet! Her level of engagement with her readers is phenomenal. You're guaranteed to get a helpful and thoughtful reply to any queries or comments you may have and I hugely admire that. Her content is engaging and she has recently redesigned her site. It's simple, clear-cut and beautiful. She's shot straight to the top of my reading list and if you haven't checked her out already I can guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised!

I stumbled upon this gorgeous woman thanks to LPP. Thanks for hooking us up girl! Maddie is hilarious... and no I am not just saying that- her posts will actually make you laugh out loud. Not just that little half-smile, but a full on giggle (snort in my case). She covers all things beauty and lifestyle with the most refreshingly real and reflective voice you'll probably ever read.

The queen of sophistication, Bridie is the beautiful specimen behind Maison Ellis. Her impeccable taste for interiors, her uncanny ability to create that lit-from-within glow and her oh-so-tasteful style posts will have you scrolling through her blog all evening. Don't forget to check out her Twitter and Youtube as well- she's fabulous on all platforms!

Lilly's 'In Seven Days Around the Web' Series is something I look forward to all week. But on top of fantastic content, In a Pavilion offers the injection of culture that my reading list was desperately lacking. Full to the brim with thoughts on art, literature and photography this German blogger has created the most beautiful and engaging collection of material.

One of my favourite things about the blogging community is watching people's content expand and evolve. Jen's blog started out as a beauty blog but has since developed into a fantastic and empowering collection of material for small businesses, entrepreneurs and bloggers. This is your first stop if you are thinking about making the move over to Squarespace or upping your online presence!